Hantei-no-Kami
Hantei was the youngest son of Lord Moon and Lady Sun, and one of the Kami who fell to the mortal realm from the Celestial Heavens, alongside his siblings. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 8 Heavens Since the beginning of time, Lord Moon chased Lady Sun about the world. One day, he caught her, and as her light faded, the curtain fell on the age of the ancient races. Over the course of countless seasons, Lady Sun gave birth to nine children: Hida, Doji, Togashi, Akodo, Shiba, Bayushi, Shinjo, Fu Leng, Hantei, Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, p. 4 and Ryoshun. Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, p. 9 Fall of the Kami Legends told that the Moon, jealous over Lady Sun's love for their children, swallowed their Kami children. This day was the night with no light, when Amaterasu wept for her children. Whispers of Shadow and Steel, by Mari Murdock Being unwilling to tear apart the heavens by warring with her husband directly, she offered him a cup of sake with a single drop of poison in it, each time Onnotangu swallowed one of the children. By the time he came to the youngest child, Hantei, Amaterasu was able to swap a stone wrapped in Hantei's clothing for the real child and her husband swallowed it instead. Then he fell asleep. Amaterasu trained Hantei in the martial arts. When Hantei and Lord Moon finally did battle, he sliced open his father's belly, and the rest of his siblings tumbled out. They fell from the sky to Seppun Hill, save for one. Lord Moon reached out at the last moment and grasped Fu Leng. Hantei swung his sword one last time and severed his father's very arm. Fu Leng tried to grab ahold of Hantei, and they both fell. Plummeting downward, Fu Leng plunged through the earth to Jigoku itself, where he was lost. Ryoshun's name was lost to history. Founding Rokugan The Creation of Mankind As Onnotangu's blood fell from Heaven, it landed in the pools of Amaterasu's tears. From each pool, two humans stood up, for humanity was made from the tears of Lady Sun and the blood of Lord Moon. Tournament of the Kami No longer immortal, the Kami shared the mortal realm with human beings. They resolved to teach and guide these humans, and they held a great tournament to see who would lead those who lived in this land they dubbed Rokugan. Lord Akodo defeated Lady Doji, and when he turned to fight Hantei, he nearly lost himself in his battle fury. Hantei turned Akodo's rage against him, and emerged victorious. Hantei was the final victor, and after his coronation as Emperor, he charged each of his siblings with a different task. He also chose the chrysanthemum as his personal symbol. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 24 Emperor Hida would guard against the growing darkness beyond the southernmost lands. Doji would foster the arts and keep the peace between them all. To defend Rokugan, Akodo would lead great armies. Shiba would tend to the land's spirits and the Empire's soul. Upon Bayushi the Emperor placed a heavy burden: to do what Hantei could not dirty his hands with. Always restless, Shinjo would venture beyond the Empire's borders to scout for any threats yet to come. Mysteriously, Togashi retreated to the mountains, where he would watch over the Empire from afar. Doji resolved to bring order to this savage realm and founded the Crane Clan. The Great Clans (Learn to Play Rulebook) Bayushi swore to Hantei that his newfound Scorpion Clan would protect the Emerald Empire by any means necessary. The Great Clans First Followers Seppun, a holy woman of her tribe, had met the eight Kami at Seppun Hill, becoming their first follower. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 72 Miya and Otomo were another of the first followers of Hantei, and each of them formed a family, who were collectively known as the Imperial Families. Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, p. 17 Emerald Tournament Kakita was selected as Emerald Champion in the first Emerald Tournament. Hantei and Kakita became fast friends, and he married his sister Lady Doji shortly after. The Stories We Tell, by Nancy M. Sauer Married Hantei fell in love with Doji Mioko, a simple peasant hidden and imprisoned on the island Lost Daughter Inlet by her father. Courts of Stone, p. 71 War Against Fu Leng But not long after the Kami had begun to order the world and formed clans with their earliest followers, Fu Leng emerged from his subterranean lair. He confronted Hantei because he had not been invited to the Tournament of the Kami, and challenged Hantei's right to rule Rokugan. Togashi was selected as the Emperor's Champion, who in turn selected all that lives in Rokugan as his weapon. Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, pp. 4-5 The Empire was assaulted by a dark army from the place which would be known as the Shadowlands, led by the fallen Kami Fu Leng. Dark Hands of Heaven (FFG News) Tao of Shinsei One day, an old man dressed as a monk came to Hantei's camp. He said his name was Shinsei, and that he knew how the Emperor could defeat the armies of Fu Leng. Hantei would not listen at first, but after Shinsei defeated, unarmed, the guards sent to remove him, the Emperor because curious. The two talked the whole night, and Shiba diligently copied down all that was said. These teachings were recorded in full in the writings which became known as the Tao of Shinsei. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 11 Day of Thunder Shinsei told the Emperor that fortune favors the mortal man, and so he would gather seven human warriors to defeat the Dark Kami. Hantei gave his permission, and so one warrior from each of the clans was chosen. Shinsei led these warriors, the Seven Thunders, into the South. Fu Leng's forces were eventually repelled from Rokugan in the day known as the Day of Thunder. Only Shinsei and Shosuro, the Scorpion Thunder, returned. Shosuro carried twelve scrolls that she said bound the defeated Fu Leng. Hantei ordered that these scrolls never be opened and gave them to the Scorpion Clan for safekeeping. Rebuilding the Empire Hantei commanded the Crab to build a wall to protect the Empire from the evils of the Shadowlands, which was known as the Kaiu Wall. Hantei tasked his sister Shinjo and her clan with ensuring there were no threats to Rokugan from outside its borders. Death Shortly after Shinjo's departure, Hantei passed away. Some records stated that he died from the lingering effects of a wound he had suffered in the war against Fu Leng, and some that he simply tired of the mortal world and returned to the Celestial Heavens in a flash of light. Hantei Genji became the second Emperor of Rokugan. Legend of the Five Rings: Roleplaying Game (Beta), p. 8 Category:Kami (TCG) Category:Imperial Leaders (TCG)